What virtual guitar amp system do you run

[Mick]

What virtual guitar amp system do you run.  I've always had a soft spot for IK Multimedia's AmpliTube which I've used for a few years.  Just wondering what everyone else uses these days?

[Hinfrance]

Mick,

I have been using Amplitube 4, some of the time. when I'm running PreSonus Studio One or Reaper that's what I usually use, although Studio One has it's own amp modelling called Ampire and I do use that too.

In Cubase I usually use the built in VST Amp Rack, especially as being a bass player I find their emulations of bass amps to be better.

I'm having a look at Amplitube 5 now, review to follow. Unfortunately first impressions, which let's face it are very important with software, are not good. It's flaky, slow, the UI has areas of dark grey labelling on a black ground, and worst of all I cannot get some of my previous gear, including the Engl Powerball amp which was my favourite guitar model.*

As they patch it (one release has already gone live) things may improve. We shall see!


*LATER: I've found the Engl Powerball, purely by accident. In Amplitube 4 it is called 'Engl Powerball', which given that's what it is makes sense. In Amplitube 5 it is called 'Powerball', which doesn't make sense because if one searches for 'Engl', which is what I did, the search returns no results. I bet this sort of pointless renaming of gear is what is causing a lot of the reported problems.

[Mick]

My AmpliTube 5 experience has been similar, I'm hoping it will improve fairly quickly as all the bug reports come in.  Wonder if they beta test this stuff, if not I think they should tbh. 

At the moment, and although I'm using a laptop running on the lower end of their system requirements it's extremely laggy and slow to respond to any of the button inputs.  And although it's supposed to have a resizable layout it's pointless on a 1366 x 768 laptop screen as it's the locked to the wrong shape to fit the screen. 

Also the text on the menus and buttons is very difficult to see comfortably because it's grey text on a dark background which isn't ideal.   Maybe a light theme option should be available, or some customisation options would be really handy here. 

These are just a few things that niggle me, but I'm sure they will work through and get the bugs sorted out pretty quickly after the holidays. Fingers crossed. 

Merry Christmas everyone.